1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a display apparatus for a sewing machine and, more particularly, to technology for displaying the sewing order of a stitch pattern selected from a plurality of sewable stitch patterns.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional sewing machine with a display displays a plurality of sewable stitch patterns to allow an operator to select a desired stitch pattern therefrom, as a stitch pattern to be sewn, and also displays at least part of the selected stitch pattern to notify the operator of the selected stitch pattern.
As the selected stitch pattern displayed alone on a display does not provide sufficient information about sewing the selected stitch pattern, many of the sewing machines are designed to display more information including the size of the selected stitch pattern (such as the stitch width and the stitch length) and the thread tension during sewing.
As shown in FIG. 12, in a sewing machine the applicants have put to practical use, when a straight stitch pattern key 102 is pressed on a utility stitch pattern selection screen 101 displayed on a display 100, a straight stitch pattern is selected as the stitch pattern to be sewn. At the top of the display 100, a horizontal straight stitch pattern and the stitch pattern name xe2x80x9cStraight (Left)xe2x80x9d are displayed. Below a plurality of stitch patterns displayed on the display 100, the needle bar oscillating width (stitch width) xe2x80x9c0.0 mmxe2x80x9d, the stitch length xe2x80x9c2.5 mmxe2x80x9d, and the thread tension are displayed as the sewing information of the selected stitch pattern.
In addition, when an xe2x80x9cADVICExe2x80x9d key 104 is pressed on the utility stitch pattern selection screen 101 of FIG. 12, advice on sewing the selected stitch pattern can be displayed on the display 100. If a xe2x80x9cHOW TO SEWxe2x80x9d key 103 is pressed when the stitch pattern to select is unknown, a sewing position selection screen, a work cloth type selection screen and the like can be displayed on the display 100 to allow an operator to selectively enter the sewing position, the work cloth type, and the like on the respective screens and set a stitch pattern suitable for a particular use.
In some of conventional machines, a selected stitch pattern, sewing information of the selected stitch pattern, such as the pattern size and the thread tension during sewing, and advice on sewing the selected pattern can be displayed. However, to date there is no sewing machine that can display the sewing order of the selected stitch pattern from start to finish of sewing.
The sewing order of relatively simple stitch patterns, such as a straight stitch pattern and a zigzag stitch pattern, is obvious and unnecessary to be displayed. On the other hand, if the sewing order is not displayed on the display when a complex stitch pattern is selected as the stitch pattern to be sewn, an operator cannot check the sewing order of the selected stitch pattern on the display. In this case, it is difficult to judge if the pattern being sewn is the selected pattern by only seeing the pattern being sewn (unfinished pattern). In the worst case, an operator may misjudge that the pattern being sewn is a wrong one and stop sewing.
There is a conventional sewing machine that displays, on a display, a stitch pattern and one arrow indicating the sewing direction at the start of sewing. However, a sewing machine that displays the sewing order of a stitch pattern from start to finish of sewing has not yet been available. In such a conventional machine, it is difficult to judge if the pattern being sewn is the selected one by only seeing the pattern being sewn (unfinished pattern).
When a selected stitch pattern is a continuously- and repeatedly-sewn pattern, it is conceivable to display an essential part, that is, a unit pattern of the selected stitch pattern in an enlarged scale and to show a plurality of needle drop positions of the enlarged unit stitch pattern. However, when a complex stitch pattern is selected, the sewing order is not easy to recognize even if a unit pattern of the selected stitch pattern is displayed in an enlarged scale. Particularly, when the selected pattern is made up of intersecting stitches, the sewing order is more difficult to recognize.
Therefore, the invention provides a display apparatus for a sewing machine that can display the sewing order of a stitch pattern selected from a plurality of sewable stitch patterns to allow an operator to judge if a pattern being sewn (an unfinished pattern) is the selected one, and providing a storage medium storing a stitch pattern display program that enables a display used in a sewing machine to display such sewing order.
The invention provides a display apparatus for a sewing machine that can indicate a sewing order of substantially an entire stitch pattern using a display.
In this regard, the display apparatus for a sewing machine of the embodiment of the invention may include a display that displays a stitch pattern thereon, and a sewing order indicator that indicates a sewing order of substantially the entire stitch pattern.
According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the sewing order indicator indicates a sewing order of substantially the entire stitch pattern. Therefore, an operator can recognize the sewing order of substantially the entire stitch pattern by means of the display.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the display apparatus may further include a selecting device that selects the stitch pattern, the display may display the stitch pattern selected by the selecting device, and the sewing order indicator may indicate the sewing order of the stitch pattern selected by the selecting device. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, even when the operator selects, as a stitch pattern, a complex stitch pattern, such as a buttonhole stitch pattern, the operator can easily judge if the stitch pattern being sewn is exactly what the operator has selected before the stitch pattern is finished. Accordingly, the apparatus can prevent the operator from misjudging that a wrong stitch pattern is sewn and from stopping the sewing machine.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the sewing order indicator may include a sewing direction indicator that indicates a sewing direction at least at a starting portion and an ending portion of the stitch pattern. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the operator can easily recognize the sewing order of substantially the entire stitch pattern by means of the display.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the sewing direction indicator may include a mark display device that displays at least one mark indicating the sewing direction. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the mark display device can indicate the sewing direction in a simple manner.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the mark display device may display a plurality of marks. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the mark display device can indicate the sewing direction of substantially the entire stitch pattern in detail.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the sewing order indicator may include a forming process indicator that indicates a forming process of the stitch pattern. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the operator can recognize the sewing order of substantially the entire stitch pattern through the forming process of the stitch pattern using the display.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the forming process indicator may display an animation of the forming process. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the operator can recognize the realistic image of the forming process of the stitch pattern by the animation displayed on the display.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the forming process indicator may display each picture included in a series of pictures showing the forming process one by one at intervals of a predetermined period. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the operator can recognize each step of the forming process of the stitch pattern by the series of pictures displayed on the display.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the sewing order indicator may include a thread path indicator that indicates a thread path for at least one part of the stitch pattern. Further, the display apparatus may include an enlargement device that enlarges the stitch pattern on the display. Further, the thread path indicator may include a mark display device that displays at least one mark indicating the thread path. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the operator can easily recognize the stitch pattern enlarged on the display by the enlargement device and the thread path and also the sewing order in detail through the thread path indicated by the thread path indicator.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the display apparatus may include a needle drop position display device that displays needle drop positions included in the stitch pattern. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, for example, when the fagotting stitch pattern is selected, the displayed needle drop positions of the stitches allow the operator to clearly know the needle drop positions and facilitate the operator to trace a plurality of needle drop positions in the vicinity of a joining part of two work cloths. Thus, workability during sewing can be improved.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the display apparatus may include a needle drop position numbering device that displays a plurality of numbers indicating an order of the needle drop positions or may include a path numbering device that displays a plurality of numbers indicating an order of the thread path. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the operator can recognize the sewing order through the numbers indicating the order of the needle drop positions or the thread path on the display.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the thread path indicator may indicate the thread path for at least one unit of repeated patterns included in the stitch pattern. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, even when a continuous and repeated stitch pattern is selected, the operator can recognize the sewing order of the stitch pattern adequately.
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the thread path indicator may indicate the thread path so that when two stitches cross each other, a lower stitch is not displayed in a vicinity of an upper stitch. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, even when two stitches cross each other in the selected stitch pattern, the operator can recognize the upper/lower positional relationship of the two stitches clearly.